Health staff in private sector mobilise for better pay

The STAL local government union is planning a series of actions and events from 25 April to 1 May to highlight its key demands on improvements to pay and conditions. The unions says that local and regional government workers have seen their wages frozen and their careers undermined over the past 13 years and now they see their purchasing power radically reduced in recent months. Inflation in March hit 5.3%, contrasting with the 0.9% wage increase proposed by the government for this year. STAL is calling for a €90 increase for all workers and increase in the national minimum wage to €850. It

Following the strike action on 17 November, the Fp-Cgil, Uil-Pa and Uil-Fpl trade union federations were set to organise a national protest outside the Ministry of Economy and Finance on 7 December. The unions are calling on the government to change the budget law for 2024 to ensure funding for renewing collective agreements and providing protection for workers’ purchasing power. They also highlight the failure of the government to tackle staff shortages or make any preparation for the fact that around 700,000 workers are due to retire by the year 2030. Meanwhile, both Fp-Cgil and Uil-Fpl

Services unions vida and GPA-djp are pleased with the pay and working time package they have negotiated in the private health and care sector that covers 100000 workers. After five bargaining rounds, the employers agreed to a 3.2% pay increase and a series of measures on working time. These include an extra day of holiday after two years' service, additional payments for covering shifts, part-time work for older workers, recognising that time taken to change clothes at work is working time, new rules on split shifts and more certainty with planning rotas. There will also be an extra EUR 100 a